Snap-hook.



No. 855,368. PATENTED MAY '28, 1907. T. WATSON. SNAP HOOK.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 9,1906

w. y if, WIN I W ,8 Z. I 0 ll] I v 8 a 2 1m: NoRRls PEYERS co.,WASHINGTON, p. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT I FFIQE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 28, 1907.

Application filed November 9, 1906. Serial No. 342,681.

To (LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS WATSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Evanston, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Snap-Hooks, of which thefollowinglfiis Ispecification, referenceiii'being had therein to theaccompanying drawing.

This invention relates to lmpro vements in snap hooks.

The object of the invention is to improve the construction of snaphooks, and to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensive device,whichigis etficient in operation, and durable in structure.

IVith this and other objects in View, the invention consists ofcertainnovel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, as will behereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pair of my devices,constructed in accordance with the present invention, attached to aswingletree. Fig. 2 is an en larged, inverted, perspective view of asnap hook constructed in accordance with the present invention, andhaving the springpressed catch removed. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal,sectional view of the snap hook, constructed in accordance with thepresent invention. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the slidable catch.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the body of the snap hook.Integral with the body 1, is a stem 2, which stem is apertured at 3. InFig. 1, I have shown a plurality of my snap hooks attached to aswingle-tree 4, preferably by positioning a link 5 in the apertures 3 ofthe stem 2; the links 5 being attached by any suitable means to theswingletree 4. In the sides 6 of the body 1, there are formedlongitudinally extending, elongated slots 7. A compartment or pocket 8is formed in the body 1 between the sides 6, 6. Integral with the body1, are parallel arms 9, which constitute a bifurcated end of the snaphook. A tongue is pivotally mounted, as at 11, between the arms 9. Thetongue 10 comprises a primary hook 11 and an auxiliary hook 12. Theprimary hook 11 is provided near its outer end with a notch 13. Both theprimary and auxiliary hooks 11 and 12, respectively, are curvedthroughout their length. A block 14, preferably substantially V-shaped,is positioned between the arms 9, and constitutes a stop for limitingdownward movement of the pivoted tongue 10. The primary hook 11 engagesone of the edges or sides of the block 14, while the auxiliary hook 12engages an opposite edge or side of said block. 10 is in its closedposition, as in Figs. 1 and 3, the tongue and arms 9 constitute a link,within which link any suitable attaching member may be secured. When thetongue 10 is removed from the position illustrated in Fig. 3 to anopened position, Fig. 2, it will be seen that if an attaching member wasin engagement with the tongue positioned between the primary andauxiliary hooks 11 and 12, respectively, the auxiliary hook 12 wouldassist in lifting the attaching member, and as the tongue swung upon itspivot 11, the attaching member would be permitted to ride over theprimary hook 11, and consequently, be removed off of the tongue 10. Itwill, therefore, be seen that the tongue is substantially C-shaped, andis pivoted intermediate its ends, preferably, near its center. When thesubstantially C-shaped tongue 10 is in its closed position, the block orstop 14 will fit between a portion of the hooks 11 and 12.

A slidable catch 15 is assembled with the body. The catch 15 comprises abase-plate 16 provided with parallel, vertical, integral lugs 17, 17.The lugs 17 are secured near the forward end of the base-plate 16,thereby leaving its rear portion 16 unobstructed, so

that when the catch is moved to its farthest 2, said rear porpositiontoward the stem tion 16 will extend beyond the body, and can be easilygrasped by the operator manipulating the slidable catch. The verticalhook 18 of the catch 15 is preferably integral with the base-plate 16,and positioned between the lugs 17. A horizontal pin 19 extends thioughlugs 20 and hook 18. When the catch 15 is in its normal position uponthe body 1, the lugs 17 will be positioned against and upon the outsideof the sides-6, and the pin or bolt 19 will extend through the elongatedapertures 6, thereby fastening the slidable catch upon the body.Positioned within the pocket or compartment 8 of the body 1 and pressingagainst the hook 18 is a yieldable member, as for instance, spring 21.The spring 21 normally exerts outward pressure upon the slidable catch,thereby holding hook 18 at one end of the When the tongue pocket orcompartment 8, whereby it is always in position to retain the tongue 10in aclosed posit-ion, as in Fig. 3. It will be obvious that the hook 18is adapted to engage the notch The hook 18 is beveled at 18 tofacilitate the locking of the tongue 10 in its closed position. Theforward end of the base-plate 16 of the spring-pressed, slidable catch15 is adapted to engage spurs or stops 16 formed upon the sides 6 of thebody 1. These spurs or stops 16 limit forward movement of the catch 15.The compartment 8 is open at its bottom and the catch 15 constitutesclosing means therefor, for preventing the entrance of foreignsubstances.

What I claim is:

1. In a snap hook, the combination of a body, a substantially V-shapedblock carried by said body, a movable tongue provided with curved hooks,the hooks of said tongue adapted to be positioned upon and engageopposite sides of said block for limiting movement of the tongue, andmeans for locking said tongue upon said block.

2. In a snap hook, the combination of a body provided with sides havinglongitudinally-extending, elongated slots, arms secured .to said body, apivotally mounted tongue carried by said arms, slidable locking meanscarried by said body, and a pin extending through the elongated slots ofsaid body and securing said locking means there to, the locking meansadapted to engage said tongue and retain it in a iixed position upon thearms. 1

3. In a snap hook, the combination wit-ha body, a pivoted tongue carriedby said body, of a slidable catch in engagement with said bodyandadapted to secure said tongue in a fixed position, said catch comprisinga baseplate, vertical, parallel lugs integral with said baseplate, ahook integral with said base-plate and positioned between said lugs, andmeans securin 'said catch to said body.

4. In a snap hook, the combination with a body, and a movable tongue, ofa catch for securing said tongue in a fixed position upon said body,said catch comprising a horizontal base-plate provided at one end withvertical lugs engaging the sides of said body, means engaging said lugsand body for holding said catch upon the body, a hook secured to saidbase-plate, and means for normally exerting pressure upon said catch forretaining the hook in engagement with said tongue.

5. In a snap hook, the combination with a body, of a movable tonguecarried by said body, said body provided with a pair of depending stopsor spurs integral with the lower portion thereof, a slidable catchengaging the under portion of said body and adapted to engage said stopsfor limiting movement of said catch, and means for securing the catch tosaid body.

or cut-out portion 13 of tongue 10.

6. In a snap hook, the combination with a body, provided with 'acompartment, a movable tongue carried by said body, a portion of thetongue adapted to extend into said compartment, of a catch in engagementwith said body, said catch comprising a base, a lug positioned upon theoutside of said body and secured to said base, fastening means carriedby the body and engaging said lug and securing said catch upon the body,a hook positioned within said compartment and normally in engagementwith said tongue, the hook secured to said base between its sides, and aspring normally holding the hook of said catch in engagement with saidtongue.

7. In a snap hook, the combination with a body, and a movable tongue, ofa catch carried by said body and normally in engagement with saidtongue, said catch comprising a base positioned upon the outside of saidbody, a hook secured to said base and positioned entirely within saidbody, and means for securing said catch to said body.

8. In a snap hook, the combination of a body provided with a compartmentand sides, said sides provided with elongated slots, a movable tonguecarried by said body, a catch adapted to secure the tongue in a fixedposition, said catch comprising a base provided with side-lugs, acentral hook secured to said base, and a pin positioned within theelongated slots and extending through said lugs and hook.

9. In a snap hook, the combination of a body provided with anopen-bottom compartment, a movable tongue carried by said body, andbodily-movable locking means carried by said body for securing saidtongue in a fixed position, said locking means closing the bottom ofsaid compartment.

10. In a snap hook, the combination of a body provided with acompartment closedat its top and open at its bottom, a movable tonguecarried by said body, and a bodilymovable catch closing the bottom ofsaid compartment and adapted to normally secure the tongue in a fixedposition upon the body.

11. In a snap hook, the combination of a body provided with acompartment open at its bottom, a pivotally mounted tongue carried bysaid body and a portion adapted to extend into said compartment, aslidable catch closing the bottom of said compartment and provided withmeans extending into the compartment for engaging and securing thetongue in a fixed position.

12. In a snap hook, the combination of a body provided with acompartment open at its bottom, of a pivotally mounted tongue carried bysaid body, a slidable catch in engagement with said body and closing thebottom of said compartment, said catch provided with a hook extendinginto the compartment, the hook adapted to engage said tongue forsecuring the same in a fixed p0si- In testimony whereof I hereunto affixmy tion, means for normally exerting pressure signature in presence oftwo Witnesses.

upon said catch a dependin stop inte ral with said body and adapted tolimit mo ve- THOMAS WVATSON' ment of said catch, and fastening meansexi/Vitnesses: tending through said body and engaging said JOHN F.BoYER, hook for securing said catch to said body. EMMA BOYER.

